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US 2010/0150190 A1Published application
Laser Wavelength Control
AssigneeMicrovision, Inc.
InventorsTaha Masood, Joel D. Hopkins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The wavelength of light output from a semiconductor laser varies over time as various parameters vary. Current in a phase section of the semiconductor laser is modified to counteract the wavelength variations. The current in the phase section may be modified in response to video data on a pixel-by-pixel basis or longer.
Claims24
A method comprising:
- driving a gain section of a semiconductor laser with a gain current representing a desired output light intensity;
- determining an amplitude value for a phase section current from the desired output light intensity;
- and
- driving a phase section of the semiconductor laser with the phase section current to modify an output wavelength of the semiconductor laser.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- holding steady a phase section current in a phase section of a semiconductor laser;
- varying a heater control signal to a heater that heats a Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) section of the semiconductor laser;
- measuring light output from a Second Harmonic Generator (SHG) to determine a nominal heater control signal value;
- while holding steady the heater control signal at the nominal heater control signal value, varying the phase section current and measuring light output from the SHG to determine a nominal phase section current value;
- and
- modifying the phase section current from the nominal phase section current value based on desired intensity data to modify an output wavelength of the semiconductor laser.
3 more elements
A projector comprising:
- a semiconductor laser including a Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) section, a gain section, and a phase section;
- an image source coupled to provide pixel luminance data to drive the gain section of the semiconductor laser;
- and
- a wavelength controller coupled to drive a phase section current in the phase section of the semiconductor laser in response to the pixel luminance data to modify an output wavelength of the semiconductor laser.
1 more element
A mobile device comprising:
- a communications transceiver;
- and
- a laser projector including a semiconductor laser and control system that update a phase section current in a phase section of the semiconductor laser at a pixel rate to modify an output wavelength in response to video data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.